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DKS - dyskinetic syndrome - is a catch all term used to describe jerky, uncoordinated and often hyperkinetic movement in spiders. A cause has not been determined yet, but poisoning through pesticides can lead to these symptoms as well as a bacterial infection. More often than not the affected spider will die.
Recently I had the unfortunate chance to study this 'DKS' since several of my spiders showed symptoms. I searched the internet for treatment options and found heat treatment mentioned several times on a German forum, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Here is my experience with it. I thought I'd treat it like a scientific study.
A. Affected spiders:
1. Two H. caffreriana slings, very badly affected. One died before I could start treatment, so there was one left for the study.
2. Lampropelma nigerrimun, AF, badly affected
3. Tapinauchenius sp. Colombia juvenile, badly affected
4. E. sp. red, AF, badly affected
5. T. cyaneolum juvenile, mild to moderately affected
6. G. pulchra, juvenile female, mildly affected
7. C. cyaneopubescens (GBB), AF, moderately affected, not treated but kept as a control "group".
Legend:
badly affected = dys- and hyperkinetic, no coordinated movement possible
moderately affected = dyskinetic, mildly hyperkinetic, movement still shows a discernible direction
mildly affected = dyskinetic, jerky, but directed movement
Heat treatment setup:
The spiders were left in their enclosures. The enclosures where placed under a red heat lamp. Temperatures under the heat lamp ranged from 30 to 35°C / 85 to 95F. The heat lamp was switched off for 10 hours during night time.
All spiders except the H. caffreriana sling had a water bowl and those were kept perpetually full. Other than that the moisture level in the enclosures was kept as it was. The sling got a drop of water on it's web every two days.
Results:
The E. sp. red showed no improvement but instead deteriorated fast and died after about a week.
T. cyaneolum showed neither improvement nor worsening of the symptoms. After 3 weeks heat treatment was terminated for this spider since it obviously didn't help.
All other affected spiders showed obvious improvement:
The G. pulchra with only mild symptoms to begin with was considered cured after three weeks and heat treatment was terminated. She doesn't eat yet but she's rather fat so I think she's just full. Her movement is normal.
L. nigerrimum and the Tapi move nearly normal after 3 weeks of treatment, even though their symptoms were severe in the beginning. L. nigerrimum has even started to remodel her burrow. Both are eagerly accepting prekilled food. They still get heat treatment ever other day to sustain their good condition and to speed up a molt.
H. caffreriana is still showing symptoms but those decreased from very bad to moderate. It's still getting heat treatment and I hope it will molt soon.
The GBB without treatment showed no improvement and rather seems to be slowly deteriorating. (I know, I'm a nasty scientist but I wanted at least one control.)
Discussion:
All spiders from warm/hot climates (Lampropelma, Tapinauchenius, Harpactira) showed vast improvements under heat treatment.
Spiders from colder climates (E. sp. red, T. cyaneolum, G. pulchra) did not profit in the same way from the treatment. Although the G. pulchra got better she didn't show severe symptoms to begin with. It cannot be excluded that heat treatment even aggravated the symptoms of the E. sp. red and, in hindsight, may have contributed to it's death.
Conclusion:
For spiders from warm/hot climates heat treatment can be recommended as a treatment for DKS symptoms.
Heat treatment cannot be recommended for spiders from colder climates although it may help somewhat in certain cases.
P.S.. The GBB will be started on heat treatment now.
Recently I had the unfortunate chance to study this 'DKS' since several of my spiders showed symptoms. I searched the internet for treatment options and found heat treatment mentioned several times on a German forum, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Here is my experience with it. I thought I'd treat it like a scientific study.
A. Affected spiders:
1. Two H. caffreriana slings, very badly affected. One died before I could start treatment, so there was one left for the study.
2. Lampropelma nigerrimun, AF, badly affected
3. Tapinauchenius sp. Colombia juvenile, badly affected
4. E. sp. red, AF, badly affected
5. T. cyaneolum juvenile, mild to moderately affected
6. G. pulchra, juvenile female, mildly affected
7. C. cyaneopubescens (GBB), AF, moderately affected, not treated but kept as a control "group".
Legend:
badly affected = dys- and hyperkinetic, no coordinated movement possible
moderately affected = dyskinetic, mildly hyperkinetic, movement still shows a discernible direction
mildly affected = dyskinetic, jerky, but directed movement
Heat treatment setup:
The spiders were left in their enclosures. The enclosures where placed under a red heat lamp. Temperatures under the heat lamp ranged from 30 to 35°C / 85 to 95F. The heat lamp was switched off for 10 hours during night time.
All spiders except the H. caffreriana sling had a water bowl and those were kept perpetually full. Other than that the moisture level in the enclosures was kept as it was. The sling got a drop of water on it's web every two days.
Results:
The E. sp. red showed no improvement but instead deteriorated fast and died after about a week.
T. cyaneolum showed neither improvement nor worsening of the symptoms. After 3 weeks heat treatment was terminated for this spider since it obviously didn't help.
All other affected spiders showed obvious improvement:
The G. pulchra with only mild symptoms to begin with was considered cured after three weeks and heat treatment was terminated. She doesn't eat yet but she's rather fat so I think she's just full. Her movement is normal.
L. nigerrimum and the Tapi move nearly normal after 3 weeks of treatment, even though their symptoms were severe in the beginning. L. nigerrimum has even started to remodel her burrow. Both are eagerly accepting prekilled food. They still get heat treatment ever other day to sustain their good condition and to speed up a molt.
H. caffreriana is still showing symptoms but those decreased from very bad to moderate. It's still getting heat treatment and I hope it will molt soon.
The GBB without treatment showed no improvement and rather seems to be slowly deteriorating. (I know, I'm a nasty scientist but I wanted at least one control.)
Discussion:
All spiders from warm/hot climates (Lampropelma, Tapinauchenius, Harpactira) showed vast improvements under heat treatment.
Spiders from colder climates (E. sp. red, T. cyaneolum, G. pulchra) did not profit in the same way from the treatment. Although the G. pulchra got better she didn't show severe symptoms to begin with. It cannot be excluded that heat treatment even aggravated the symptoms of the E. sp. red and, in hindsight, may have contributed to it's death.
Conclusion:
For spiders from warm/hot climates heat treatment can be recommended as a treatment for DKS symptoms.
Heat treatment cannot be recommended for spiders from colder climates although it may help somewhat in certain cases.
P.S.. The GBB will be started on heat treatment now.